Have you ever wondered what the term “the cut” means in the world of golf? What criteria do they use to determine the cut? And how many golfers make the cut? Qualify for the PGA Tour and earn your card to play on the professional tour.
Then you must qualify for or be invited to participate in one of the main championships or tournaments. After all of that, you still have to get through “the cut.” Today we discuss this, How many golfers make the cut?
What Is A Cut In Golf?
Before we learn how many golfers make the cut, let us first define a cut. A cut is a phase in a golf event when the number of players is drastically reduced. In the modern era of golf competition, the most usual time for a cut to be made is after every player in the field has completed two rounds or 36 holes of golf.
The field is cut based on a pre-determined cut rule when 36 holes of golf (or some other pre-determined stage) are finished.
The 36-hole cut rule applies to the top 65 players and ties on the PGA, European, and Korn Ferry. The cut rule on the LPGA Tour is the top 70 players and ties. It is limited to the top 60 players and ties on the Symetra Tour. Each tour establishes uniform-cut rules (with occasional deviations) across tournaments. The cut rule normally depends on the number of players in a starting field for most tournaments, which varies per circuit.
The cut is made to a specified number in high-level amateur events, like the US Amateur. After two rounds of qualifying, the field for the US Amateur is reduced to exactly 64 participants. Suppose more than 64 players have theoretically qualified after two rounds. In that case, a playoff is held to determine who qualifies for the next round.
What Is The Purpose Of The Cut?
Most tournaments last four days and four 18-hole rounds, beginning on a Thursday. Typically, the tournament will begin with roughly 154 competitors and will be decreased after the second round. The question is, WHY? This is because the prize money will not be distributed to the final player.
The typical cut rule on the regular tour limits the field to the low 70 scores, including ties. As a result, the field should be reduced to around 78 players. If too many players tie for 70th place, a second cut will be made after 54 holes, based on the low 70 plus ties.
Thursday and Friday are then “working” days, with players teeing off in three groups according to a draw. The same three-ball will normally play together the next day, with tee times switched around. The Friday session will conclude with 154 participants, and the field will be reduced to about 78 players on Saturday after the cut.
Missing Out On The Cut
Those players who did not advance to the following round will be referred to as having “missed the cut.” Their competition ends, and they can go home with nothing but the honor of having appeared at that place.
Those that advance or “made the cut” will play over the weekend in pairs ranked according to their current score. These pairings get changed again for the final round on Sunday. The prize money for the tournament could be over $8 million. In which the champion receives around $1.5 million. However, the player that finishes last, at number 78, receives $11.500.
This is the primary reason for having to “cut” the field. The other players gain nothing, and the field gets crowded and congested in the final two rounds. With sponsorships and media rights these days, limiting the action to a smaller field also plays a role.
Different Tours Have Different Rules
These are the basic rules on the regular tour. However, there are numerous exceptions because golf rules do not regulate the cut rule. Each of the majors, the Masters, the US Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship, has its own cut rules.
The World Golf Championships (WGC) competitions do not have cut rules because they are match play, only winners and losers. The BMW Championship and Tour Championship do not have set rules at the end of the season. The BMW is limited to 70 participants, whereas the Tour Championship is limited to 30 players, making a cut unnecessary.
Not making the cut is a major concern. You miss out on a paycheck and lose points on your ranking and tour card. However, no one is immune to the dreaded cut, and it is not uncommon for elite players to be left out. The cut rule has harmed Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Ernie Els, and Tiger Woods.
What Is MDF And What Does It Mean?
We know they didn’t make it when we see MC next to a player’s name on the leaderboard. This abbreviation means “made the cut but didn’t finish.”
This occurs when too many players have the same low score, and the second cut after 54 holes is used. The PGA has recently examined the cut rule, changing it from low 70s to low 65s plus ties to eliminate the second cut.
The players have reacted to this change in a variety of ways.
The tournament organizers would prefer to see roughly 70 players on the final two days. On weekends, both crowd attendance and TV viewership are higher. Crowd control and management and the pace of play contribute to better television coverage.
What Is The Ten-Shot Rule In Golf?
Golf Guide
The cut rule specifies the requirements that golfers must meet in order to make the cut and continue playing. When the 10-shot rule is in place, players within ten shots of the lead at the time of the cut make the cut and continue to play.
Wrap up
When it comes to the question “how many golfers make the cut,” the answer is around 70 golfers made the cut. However, failing to make the cut does not necessarily imply the end of your golfing career. As previously said, even the best players are subject to the cut. Tiger Woods has missed the cut 20 times from 1999 to 2019.
